Instrument board



J. ZUBATY INSTRUMENT BOARD Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,330

Original Filed March 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 26, 1929.

J. ZUBATY INSTRUMENT BOARD Original Filed March 27, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 yaw 0h 22/549 K, v I

Mf %w 7 M 'Feb- 1929.

J. ZUBAT INSTRUMENT BOARD Original Fild March 27, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 14 01,, V ZZ/bay I f i w z, W L M,

abtozy Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES Josnrn zrnwrr, or 21mm, MICHIGAN.

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Application and March 27,1m, Serial a). 97,941 3mm .Tanuary a, 1m.

This invention relates to instrument panels and particularly to panels of the type disble while at the same time the instrument minating the panel, will be made following description.

closed in my prior application Ser. No. 47,058, filed July 30, 1925. In this type of, assembly thejinstruments' are so arranged that light may be projected onto the instrument dials from the rear of the instrument board so that none but diffused, reflected light reaches the eyes of the observer In the assembly disclosed in my prior application PIOVISIOII'IS also'made forthe illumination of the drivers compartment, and particularly of the. transmission lock and control levers. The present invention consistso'f a simplification of the construction shown in my prior application in that a separate mounting for the lamp is dispensed with, one of the partscustomerily provided to secure the instruments in position being used to support the lamp. So far as this feature is concernedthe invention is of general application:: thus, whlle I have shown it applied to a construction in which. the housings of the instrument are provided with windows through which light may be projected upon the dials, my constructlon s of-equal utility where some other'provls'ion is made for the transmission of light-to the faces of the instruments.

Another feature of my invention consists in the manner of mounting the instrument panel, which carries the instruments, upon the instrument board. My construction 1 s such that none of the securing means are v1s1- panel is firmly yet somewhat resiliently'secured in position. The details'of this feature of the invention, as well as the means for illuclear'in the In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my 'panel as it appears mounted on the lnstrument board. 7 1 Figure 2 is a rearview of Flgurel.

2 with certain parts removed and the instrument housings shown in'partial section to showv the windows provided thereln.

Figure 4 is a section'on line 44 of Fig-- ure 2. j

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the instruon-line 7 -7 of Figure 1..

Figure 3 is a view correspondin'gt'o Figure Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 ure 1. U The reference character'2-indicates an instrument board such as is provided upon antomobiles of conventional construction. 4 indicates'the instrument panel upon which the instruments are assembled prior to the mounting of the panel on the instrument board. The instrument board is provided with an opening 8 which snugly receivesthe bead 10 formed on the panel. A flange 12 exof Figtends outwardly from the bead-10, and engages the rear faceof the instrument board and from the flange extend rearwardly and outwardly projectlng cars 14. The ends of 1 the ears 14 are apertured for the passage of the shanks'of screw bolts 16, the heads 17 of which are secured in pockets formed by welding apertured strips 18 to the rear face of the instrument board. .Nuts 20 on the shanks of the bolts 16' serve to clamp the ears to the bolts and yieldingly hold the panel in posi-' tion on the instrument board;

The instrument panel is provided with apertures for the display of the instruments,

suchas the clock 22,- ammeter 24, oil g2 '26,

gasoline gage 28, and speedometer 2 portion projecting into the corresponding aperture in the panel. The means for clampmgthe -lnSt111meI1tS l 11 position com rises ach of these instruments is provided with a bezel screw bolts 30 projecting through the ange 12 of the panel and having them heads concealed between the flange and the instrument panel, and screw bolts 32 secured to the rear of the panel, prefera'bly in the same manner,

that bolts 16 are secured to. the rear of the instrument board. If desiredother-fas'tening means, such as book devices, clamps, or the like may be substituted forfthe screw bolts. Clamping plates 34 are a ertured at their ends to pass over the shan s of screw bolts 30and 32 and are drawn tightly against the backs of the instruments by amanipulation of suitable nuts threaded-"on-the bolts. It will be noted that certain of the bolts carry theends of several of the clamping platesand that the instruments are so-arranged and the clamps so positioned and designed that portions of certain of the clamping plates marked 34' bridge the-space between adjacent faces of certain of the instruments. These ortions of the clam s have been utilized or the supportin 0 spring cli s '36 designedto receive an grip the beads 38 formed on lamp sockets 40 in which lamps 42 With this construction when it is desired to inspect or replace a lamp it is merely neces vs'ary to withdraw the'larnp and socket rearwardly from the clip, the flexible conductor 4i? permitting these parts to be extended lorwardly ot the instrument board to a convenient position for manipulation.

Each of the instrument casings is provided with: a window consisting of an aperture in the casing covered by a sheet of translucent material, such as paper, indicated at ll, held in position by a trams l6 riveted to the casing. The light from the bulb 42 is adapted to pass through the windows and illuminate the instrument dials as in my pending application Ser. No. 47,058, previously referred to. The exteriors of the instrument cases and of the clamping plates and the rear face of the instrument panel are preferably nickeled, painted white, or otherwise treated to provide a good light reflecting surface so that a portion of the light from the bulb is projected downwardly to illuminate the drivers compartment In Figures 7 and 8 l have shown some examples of special treatment of instrument housings to provide the windows for the transmission of light to the dials or other indicating parts. lhus in the construction in Figure 7 l have provided the clock 22 with special'bezel carrying a transparent plate 52 for the display of the clock dial, the bezel being oil greater than normal length and provided with a window 5% in the side thereof through which light may be projected upon the dial.

lln Figure 8 l have shown a commercial type of gasoline gage comprising a glass tube.

containing colored indicating fluid the level of which indicates the height of the gas-.

' oline in the supply tank in accordance with but the markings shown at 6% on faceplate 66 secured over the instrument housing 68. This housing is provided withthe window- 70 which permits the projection of light upon 1 the tubefifll at the rear of the face plate. Some of this light passing by reflection and retrace tion through thetube falls upon the mark- .ings 64 upon the face. late and renders the instrument easily reada le.

It will be noted that'while the speedometer is provided with studs 72 passing through a rtures in the corresponding clamping ate 34 and these studs carry thumb. nuts '4 for ositively securing the speedometer to the. c amping late, the other instruments are held in lace y clamping action only the clamps pre erably being provided with cutrtlons 76 to engage studs or bolts projectlng from the casings to hold the instruments against rotation on the panel.

v It will be noted that my lighting arrangement requires no special parts for its support,

nroaeao the bracketsused to hold the socket receiving clips being-those customarily employed to hold the instruments in position. lit will also be noted that this feature of the invention is of utility whether the instruments be mounted directl u on the instrument board or panel with w ich automobiles are customarily provided or whether it be mounted upon an auxiliary panel, such as that shown at t which in turn is mounted upon the instru.

ment board. v

Attention is called to the fact that the method of supporting the panel upon the instrument board is such that the panel is held with a certain degree of resiliency thereby lessening the efi'ects of jarring upon the mechanisms of the instruments. The panel also presents a very attractiveappearance, no tastening devices being visible and the character of the illumination is such that. the instruments may remain lighted during night driving without causing any anno ance to the driver or distractinghis attention from the I reachll claim: 1 l. The combination ct an instrument panel, an instrument, a clamping member atv the rear of the panel arranged to clamp the instrument to the panel in position so that its dial may be observed,said instrument being so arranged that light may be projected upon the dial from the rear of the panelfanda lamp supported on said clamping member and adapted to illuminate the dial.

2. 'llle'combination of an instrument board having anopening therein, an instrument panel adapted to support a plurality of instruments, said panel. having a portion adapted for display in said opening and another portion for abutment against the rear face of the. instrument board, means for sethe curingthe panel in positionand fastening-yv means for securing the instruments on the panel comprising'parts secured to the said secondnamed-portion of the panel and concealed by said instrument board. 3. In the combination as defined-in claim 2, the means for securing the panel in posi tion comprising ears projecting outwardly from saidsecond named portion of the'panel and adapted for engagement by clamping devices-extending rearwardly from the in- -strument board;

4. The combination of an instrument board having an opening therein, an instrument supporting panel adapted to be secured over said opening, said panel comprising a sheet metal member having a portion adapted to extend into and fill said opening, a

flange portion extending from said first named portion and adapted to bear against the rear vface of said instrument board, rear wardly and outwardly extending ears'projecting from said first named portion, and

an aperture fastening devices secured to said instrument board and adapted to cooperate with said ears for securing the panel in position.

ber, the edges of the face plate defining the said slot bearing graduations, and an aperture in the casing at the rear of the face plate and at one side of the slot for the illumination of the tubular member. said tubular member serving to transmit rays of light to the face plate. l

6. The combination of an instrument panel, a plurality of instruments each comprising indicatin means and a casing having or the display of the indicating means, said casing-being provided with a second aperture for the projection of light from without the casing upon the indicating means for rendering the latter visible through said inspection aperture. clamping means at the rear of the panel arranged to clamp the instruments to the panel in position so'that their indicating means may be observed, and a lamp supported on said clamping means and arranged to project light through said second named apertures to render the indicating means visible through the first named aperture.

7 The coinbination of an instrument panel, a plurality of instruments mounted for display on the panel, said instruments being arranged so that light may be projected upon the dials thereof from the rear of the panel, .clamping devices adapted to'secure said instruments in position, a lamp support- 'ed on one of said clamping devices and arranged to illuminate the dials of the instruments, the exteriors of saidinstruments being provided with light reflecting surfaces so that a considerable portion of the light from the lamp is projected downwardly between the instruments into the drivers com- 'artment.

- 8. The combination of an instrument board having an opening therein, an instrument panel formed of sheet metal and provided with an apertured portion for dis play in the opening, said portion being provided with a peripheral bead fitting said aperture, said head being providedwith a marginal portion adapted to engage the rear face of the board,and means for clamping the panel against the board.

9. An instrument assembly comprising a casing having an instrument therein, said instrument being provided with indicating means, a cover for the casing, comprising a body portion and. an annular flange surrounding the body portion, extending rearwardly therefrom, and engaging the casing for securing the cover in position, said body portion being provided with an aperture for the display of the indicating means, transparent medium mounted in the cover and sealing the aperture against the entrance of dust, said flange being provided with an aperture for the projection of light upon the indicating means at the rear of the first named aperture, and a transparent cover for said second named aperture.

10. An instrument assembly comprising a casing having an instrument therein, said.

instrument being provided with indicating means, a cover for the casing comprising a body portion and. an annular flange surrounding the body portion, and extendiug rearwar 1 y therefrom and engaging the housing for securing the cover in position, said body portion being provided with an aperture for the inspection of the indicating means, the part of the body portion sui rounding said aperture being offset from the plane-of the remaining portion to facilitate alignment with an opening in the instrument panel, a transparent cover for said aperture, 'saidflange being provided with an opening for the projection of light upon the indicating means at the rear of the first named aperture, and a transparent cover for said second named aperture. 4

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' JOSEPH ZUBATY. 

